Specimen treatment apparatus, specimen treatment method, and specimen treatment chip

Abstract

Disclosed is a specimen treatment apparatus that treats a specimen by using a specimen treatment chip including a flow channel and a connecting port communicating with the flow channel, the specimen treatment apparatus including: a placement part in which the specimen treatment chip is placed; a connector provided to be engaged with the connecting port to allow a sample containing a specimen to be injected into the flow channel through the connector; and a heating unit that is pressed on the specimen treatment chip and heats the specimen treatment chip while the connector is connected to the connecting port of the specimen treatment chip placed in the placement part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A specimen treatment apparatus that treats a specimen by using a specimen treatment chip including a flow channel and a connecting port communicating with the flow channel, the specimen treatment apparatus comprising:
 a placement part in which the specimen treatment chip is placed;   a connector provided to be engaged with the connecting port to allow a sample containing a specimen to be injected into the flow channel through the connector; and   a heating unit that is pressed on the specimen treatment chip and heats the specimen treatment chip while the connector is connected to the connecting port of the specimen treatment chip placed in the placement part.   
     
     
         2 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating unit includes a heat generator that generates heat and an elastic member provided on the heat generator. 
     
     
         3 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating unit includes a heat generator that generates heat and an elastic member that is formed integrally with the heat generator. 
     
     
         4 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a moving member that can connect the connector to the connecting port and can press the heating unit on the specimen treatment chip. 
     
     
         5 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the moving member moves the connector to connect the connector to the connecting port, and to press the heating unit on the specimen treatment chip. 
     
     
         6 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the connector is provided in the moving member. 
     
     
         7 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a body; and a lid part that is supported by the body to be openable and closable, wherein
 the lid part is configured so as to be closed to connect the connector to the connecting port, and to press the heating unit on the specimen treatment chip.   
     
     
         8 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the connector is provided in the lid part. 
     
     
         9 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the specimen treatment chip includes a plurality of connecting ports, and
 a plurality of connectors is provided to be engaged with the plurality of connecting ports, respectively, to inject a reagent for treating a specimen into the flow channel through the plurality of connecting ports.   
     
     
         10 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating unit is disposed on an opposite side to the plurality of connectors with respect to the specimen treatment chip placed in the placement part. 
     
     
         11 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a locking part that locks a member for connecting the connector to the connecting port and pressing the elastic member on the specimen treatment chip. 
     
     
         12 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating unit and the connector are provided in the member for connecting the connector to the connecting port and pressing the elastic member on the specimen treatment chip,
 the heat generator is disposed on the elastic member, and   the connector is disposed to be lateral to the heating unit.   
     
     
         13 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the member includes a plane defining a bonding surface of the connector, and a recessed portion recessed from the plane, the recessed portion having a heating unit disposed therein, and
 the recessed portion has a height larger than a thickness of the heat generator, and smaller than a sum of thicknesses of the heat generator and the elastic member.   
     
     
         14 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the recessed portion has an inner dimension larger than the elastic member. 
     
     
         15 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the elastic member has a thickness of 0.3 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less. 
     
     
         16 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein pressure to be applied to the specimen treatment chip is 85.6 kPa or more and 839.5 kPa or less while the connector is connected to the connecting port. 
     
     
         17 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector is connected to the connecting port by being pressed on the connecting port. 
     
     
         18 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a support member that is disposed on an opposite side to the connector with respect to the specimen treatment chip placed in the placement part to support the specimen treatment chip. 
     
     
         19 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising: a cushioning member provided in the support member, wherein
 the support member supports the specimen treatment chip with the cushioning member.   
     
     
         20 . The specimen treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating unit is disposed above the specimen treatment chip placed in the placement part,
 further comprising an elastic member that is provided in a supporting surface of the placement part to support the specimen treatment chip.   
     
     
         21 . A specimen treatment method for treating a specimen by using a specimen treatment chip that includes a flow channel and a connecting port communicating with the flow channel, the specimen treatment method comprising the steps of:
 connecting a connector to the connecting port, the connector allowing a sample containing a specimen to be injected into the flow channel through the connector; and   pressing a heating unit that heats the specimen treatment chip, on the specimen treatment chip.   
     
     
         22 . A specimen treatment method for treating a specimen by using a specimen treatment chip including a flow channel and a connecting port communicating with the flow channel, the specimen treatment method comprising the step of
 heating the specimen treatment chip by a heating unit while a connector is connected to the connecting port and the heating unit is pressed on the specimen treatment chip.   
     
     
         23 . A specimen treatment chip, comprising:
 a flow channel;   a connecting port communicating with the flow channel; and   an elastic member fixed to a region corresponding to a portion of the flow channel where temperature control is needed.